Robot Alchemic Drive (RAD) - PS2 - Preview

It has all the trappings of a ‘B’ movie
­ giant city-destroying monsters, a hokey script … you know, all the
things that can make for light entertainment.

R.A.D. (also known as Robot Alchemic Drive)
is an upcoming PlayStation2 release from Enix, and Sandlot. The game has
solid animation and special effects, an interactive environment and a lot
of action.

GameZone had a chance to preview a limited
game play edition of the game, which is set for release on November 5.

There is, of course, a tutorial that will
guide you through the functions of the giant robot you control, and the
game does have a nice twist on the standard transformer-type game. You
are one of three heroes, who have a device that controls a giant robot.
Two of the robots in the preview can transform into other objects (a jet
or a missile-launching array) while the third, Vavel, merely gears up his
arms for mega-punching attacks.

The twist here is that you are controlling
a hero, who is controlling the machine. Line of site is important, and
you have to switch between hero and bot in order to properly control the
machine.

The game begins with the hero meeting a
young woman at a train station, presumably to set off on a shopping trip.
Suddenly, purple lightning dashes across the sky. It’s the dreaded Phantom
Effect! From this effect emerges a giant machine that bears some resemblance
to a praying mantis. Could it be …? It is! A honest-to-goodness Volgara
Giant! And this incredible mountain of destruction, replete with thunderous
footstep, and flame shooting out in multiple directions is headed toward
town, weaving a path of destruction.

Nanao (the young lady you met at the station)
is worried about grandma, who was left home alone. Your hero immediately
dashes in that direction, only to arrive too late as a blast emanates from
the mouth of the beast and destroys the buildings. Nanao’s poor nana.

This looks like a job for the Trillenium
Committee! A scientist dashes in and hands your hero a control device.
Let’s power up and launch the 20-story tall response and hope it works.

Oh, by the way, watch where your metal
ally steps, you can be crushed by him, the enemy, falling debris, et cetera.

With its storyline and dual-play characteristics,
R.A.D. manages to keep game players on their toes … er, controllers. Other
game features include 50 different scenarios, the interplay of anime-style
artwork with solid animation, 360-degree rotatable camera, and the ability
to customize robots.

The sound elements are a little forces,
but the graphics are solid. Perspective of the robots can be disorienting
simply because the preview offered line-of-site. When you are a tiny human,
controlling a giant robot, that means looking up a lot. It can also make
for working controls backwards and a challenge in aiming missile weapons.

The controls have also been well designed.
Game players will have a minor learning curve, but within 15 minutes should
be able to undertake the game’s challenges.

R.A.D. is certainly not going to set the
gaming world on fire with its gameplay or graphics. What it will do, though,
is provide a light, enjoyable action game. If nothing else, knocking down
a few buildings is great fun.